Apparatus for coating candies with sugar.



0. MAHAN.

APPARATUS FOR COATING OANDIES WITH SUGAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911.

1,012,877. Patented Dec.26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..\VASHINGTON, D c.

C. MAHAN.

. APPARATUS FOR comma GANDIES WITH SUGAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911. 1 ,01 2,877, Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOCRAPH COUWASHXNGTONI u. c

CHARLES MAI-IAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

APPARATUS FOR COATING CANDIES WITH SUGAR.

Application filed June 17, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

Serial No. 633,748.

To all whom 'bt may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs MAHAN, of the city of Baltimore and State ofMaryland, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for CoatingCandies with Sugar, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in the apparatus forcoating candies with sugar shown and described in Letters Patent No.945,355 granted to Charles H. Wild, and Charles Mahan, on the 4th day ofJanuary, 1910 to which reference should be made.

The present invention consists principally, in a peculiar constructionof the apparatus whereby the moistening of candies and particularly gumdrops, during a part of the coating operation, is effected by sprays ofwater, syrup or other liquid, instead of by steam as in the patentedinvention; the object of the change being to prevent the clouding byescaping steam, the atmosphere of the building in which the apparatus iserected, and the softeningof the candy by heat.

The said invention consists further ir other improvements in theconstruction of the apparatus looking to its greater efficiency, as willherein after fully appear.

In the description of the present invention which follows reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved apparatus, and Fig. 2 is apartly sectional side view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectiontaken on the dotted line a2-w, in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is the frame of the apparatus, and 2 acylinder in two longitudinal sections the wall of one of which isimperforate and that of the other reticulated. Both ends of the cylinderare open. The cylinder 2 is secured by means of the arms 3 to the rotaryshaft 1 which is supported in the bearings 5 and 7 forming parts of theframe 1. Within the cylinder 2 and adapted to rotate with it, is aninternal spiral flange 10, a part of which to the right of Fig. 1 isshown in section; and the object of said flange is to carry thematerials introduced into the cylinder from right to left, and dischargecertain of them from the spout 12.

At the entrance end of the apparatus, and

leading to the cylinder 2, is an inclined stationary chute 13 ofwire-work which is inclosed in a water-tight casing 15 having a hopper17 at its upper end into which the gum drops to be coated with sugar areintroduced. Within the water-tight casing, and beneath the wire-workchute 13, are horizontal perforated pipes 20 which are connected bysuitable pipes to a supply of liquid under pressure. The perforations ain the pipes 20 are so arranged that liquid in the form of spray isforced through the bottom of the wire-work chute 13 and among the gumdrops therein which are thereby moistened on their surface, withoutbeing heated as is the case when steam is employed. Suitable valvescontrol the admission of liquid to the pipes 20, and the surplus liquidruns down the bottom of the casing 15 and escapes through the drain pipe0.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the portion of thewire-worlrchute 13 which is within the imperforate section of the cylinder 2, isnot attached to the part which is within the casing 15, there being aspace 03 between the two parts. This space is to prevent any liquid notcarried off by the pipe 0, entering the rotary cylinder 2; and it willbe understood that due to the speed at which the gum drops roll down thewirework chute, they will bridge the space and not fall through it.

The rotary shaft 4: is driven from the transversely extending drivingshaft 22 through the medium of the miter gears e, e and is journaled inbearings forming parts of the frame 1 as shown in Fig. 1.

The granulated sugar to coat the moistened gum drops as they areconveyed through the rotary cylinder 2 is introduced into a hopper 24.having a spout provided with a discharge-regulating gate f which isdirectly over a second hopper 25 in communication with an elevator whichdischarges the sugar into a funnel 23 the lower end of which is withinthe cylinder 2. The hopper 25 is also in communication with a box 29which is directly underneath the reticulated section of the saidcylinder. The elevator consists of a box 27 having an upper and a lowerdrum, neither of which is shown. The two drums carry an endless conveyerbelt 30 a part of which, together with a bucket 32, is seen through anopening in the box, in Fig. 1. The shaft 33 to which the upper drum inthe elevator is fastened,

is driven from the shaft 22 by means of the sprocket wheels 34 and 35and the sprocket chain 37 The buckets discharge the sugar into a spout26 the lower end of which is within the funnel 23. The hopper 2a issupported by means of hooks g from a bar it which extends across thespace between the two legs of the elevator box 27 as shown in Figs. 1and 2.

Supposing gum drops which are of a gelatinous nature and practicallydry, to be rolling down the chute 13 into the cylinder 2 which is inrotation and receiving granulated sugar from the spout 26 and the funnel23, and that liquid in the form of a spray is issuing through theapertures a in the pipes 20, the gum drops in passing through the spraywill become moistened without being softened except at the surface andupon reaching the granulated sugar are mixed therewith and become coatedand are carried along to the discharge spout 12, the unused sugarfalling through the reticulated wall of the cylinder to the box 29 fromwhich it passes to the elevator 27 and is again conducted to thecylinder in the manner described.

With this apparatus, the quantity of liquid to provide the requiredspray through which the gum drops pass, can be readily regulated by thevalves 12; and a proper supply of sugar is maintained by the adjustmentof the gate-valve f in the spout of the hopper 24.

I claim as my invention,

1. In an apparatus for the purpose described, appliances to mix gumdrops with granulated sugar, and other means to produce a spray ofliquid through which the gum drops pass and are thereby moistenedwithout being softened by. heat before coming in contact with the sugar,substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus for coating gum drops with granulated sugar, a rotarycylinder having therein a screw conveyer, and appliances to introducethe sugar into the cylinder, combined with means to convey the gum dropsinto the cylinder, and other means to produce a spray of liquid throughwhich the gum drops pass without being softened by heat before enteringthe cylinder, substantially as specified.

3. In an apparatus to coat gum drops with granulated sugar, a rotarycylinder having therein a screw conveyer, and appliances to introducethe sugar into the cylinder, combined with an inclined reticulated chuteto convey the gum drops into the cylinder, and means to inject into thereticulated chute, a spray of liquid through which the gum drops willpass without being softened by heat before reaching the cylinder,substantially as specified.

4:. In an apparatus to coat gum drops with granulated sugar, a rotarycylinder having therein a screw conveyer, and appliances to introducethe sugar into the cylinder, combined with an inclined reticulated chuteto convey the gum drops to the cylinder, a water-tight casing for thechute, and a perforated pipe situated between the casing and the chute,adapted to inject liquid in the form of spray of limited content throughthe said chute and into the path taken by the gum drops in passing tothe cylinder, substantially as specified.

CHARLES MAIIAN.

Witnesses:

WM. T. HOWARD, JULIA B. RoBINsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

